Wimbledon High School 7+ entrance

[Lastminuteplanner]

I've just put in an application for my DD to take the Wimbledon High School 7+ entrance exam (for entry into Y3).

This is my first experience of applying to private schools and I wondered if anyone had any tips on the exams - i.e. what is the pass rate, is it possible to get hold of some past papers etc.

Thanks

Can't answer your questions but friends have found WHS very picky even at 4/5 years What school are you at now?

Have you looked on the school website? Otherwise Bond are good for Maths and English.

I've asked Wimbledon High about past papers and been told they do not make them available. The written tests comprise maths, English and verbal/non-verbal reasoning but that is all Ive managed to find out. Around the same percentage seem to get through as for the 4+ tests, ie about 1 in 4 applicants. Our DD has not actually been through the 7+ so Im just basing this on what the school has told me by the way. DD did take the 4+ (successfully) but that was a very relaxed (and enjoyable) process by comparison!

Good luck to your DD - hope she gets through!

My DD went through 7+ but not wimbledon High. She found the process very relaxed and, even though they had to sit down and do written papers, it was done as part of experiencing the classroom and they were able to ask for help from the teachers. Hopefully WH will be similar.

Do they do a whole day assessment or just written papers? The whole day thing is usually best as the staff get time to put the girls at ease and make the experience fun.

The most important thing is to keep yourself and DD very relaxed about the whole process and see it as a fun day for DD to see if she likes the school. At 7+ the approach should still be relaxed.

Thanks for the info. I think it's just written papers, but I'm going to the open morning next Tues, so hopefully I'll find out a bit more.

DD is at Dundonald at the moment. It's a great school with a nice community feel. Only issue is that DD is not being stretched. I know I sound like a pushy parent, but all the work/spellings she brings home, she can do without a second thought.

We're using the Bond papers at the moment so hopefully on the right track.

it's very hard to get in - you will need to make sure she does some prep. i've not done it - just going by what people say.

Lastminute - if your DD is bright then she has a good chance of getting in. Probably a good idea to have a look at past papers if available or get details from school about what form the test takes/ what kind of level she will be tested at. But PLEASE keep it low key! She is only little, try not to stress her out, or let yourself get stressed out.

And personally, I would avoid tutors at this tender age. If she NEEDS that kind of intense preparation to get in, it would not be right for her. You will probably get loads of mums telling you it is essential but it REALLY isn't.

That's interesting about what you say about Dundonald. Given Dundonald's reputation.
I have really been put off by WHS because of their selection process which appears to categorise children at a very early age. IMO very few children show their lifelong potential at 4 or 7.

I don't want to knock Dundonald. I think it's an excellent school - just hampered by the usual issues of large class sizes with a wide range of abilities.

I admit to not being 100% sure WHS is the way to go. I have spoke to someone who's daughter got in at 4+ and thrives there, and another who was asked to leave because she was not keeping up. So essentially, I guess it depends on the child.

But the other reason for trying for WHS now is that it solves the problem of where to go at 11+. A large number of Y5 children at Dundonald have tutors for around a year to prep them for the 11+ grammer school and private school entrance exams.

wrt WHS, I know someone who moved her DD from there to LEH at 7 as she was not being stretched at all and was bored stiff. she was actually being asked to help the others in class as she was finishing her work so fast.

I know what you mean about the senior school issue. I wonder about WHS and whether their results are due to the fact that the are highly selective and kick out kids who are nto keeping up. It's difficult.

What is LEH?

Lady Eleanor Holles school in Hampton.

Lastminute, entry to senior school will not be guaranteed.

Not sure if WHS junior school pupils have to take the senior entry exam, but they will at least have to pass an internal assessment to be offered a place in the senior school. There will be at least some who will not be offered a place.

And as you have said, they will definitely get rid of those who don't keep up. That is how the results are kept up.

My DD goes to Surbiton High School (we didn't try for LEH at 11) - they are still academic but less selective and I prefer that environment for her. Before she went to Blackheath High (also a great school and a GDST one like WHS) but I know of a couple of girls who were asked to leave BHS because they weren't keeping up. DD always had no problem and loved that school! I like Surbiton because it does stick by its children!! But obviously if they are less picky, they won't get quite the same results as, say, LEH or Guildford High. Having said that, we always rated BHS and I'm sure WHS is a very good school being in the same group. We did consider moving to Wimbledon to put DD in WHS (she could have transferred automatically over, as the schools were both GDST).

pixel, have heard lots of good things about Surbiton. Does have wider range of abilities but bright kids will still do just as well.

thanks Dancinghippo - we loved the junior school (dd was there for some of it) ... early days yet in seniors!

I would just say don't worry too much if she doesn't get in. Having had a daughter there I think you can do just as well in the state system plus extra coaching in maths and english towards the top end of the school, and arranging your own sport/music out of school. The Senior School takes heaps of children from outside, and if you are thinking of private secondary, Putney High seems to be in the ascendent at present, rather than Wimbledon High - but it all seems to go in phases!

If she's not punching 18 months ahead of what is expected for a 7 year old, and confident with it, I'd be looking at gentler places and seeing how she develops when she's rising 11. IMO LEH is more academic than WHS. Have a look at Surbiton, Prospect House, Hurlingham.